I am not a camper. I have never slept in a tent (unless you count in the yard when my kids were little and wanted to camp – but they didn’t last an hour!) I have never really had a desire to camp, be one with nature, sleep under the stars or any of those other things that true campers always say. I did go to scout camp ONCE when I was a kid in the 60’s. Cabins, cots, bugs, outdoor showers, outhouses, etc. – I wasn’t a fan. So why am I writing a post about camping at WDW? Well, here I am, right in the middle of planning a “glamping” excursion for a group of bloggers. And if you have to glamp/camp, in my mind, there is no better place to do it than Disney.

As with everything else, camping has improved over the years, even for those that camp in tents or pop-ups. Luxury campers and camp sites have turned some forms of camping into glamping – glamorous camping with no need to give up certain luxuries – a way to experience the great outdoors without sacrificing some luxuries.

Glamping vs. Camping

In order to go glamping you need one of two things – either a great, big, well-equipped camper or a campsite that offers luxury tents – such as the ones at Westgate River Ranch in Florida.

Tents at Westgate River Ranch – Photo Credit: Westgate River Ranch

Since we wanted to camp/glamp at WDW and WDW doesn’t offer tents like the one pictured above, I set out to find a luxury camper to accommodate 10 or 12 and found one at Florida Camper Rental. Now here’s the great thing about Florida Camper Rental – they do all the work! They deliver the camper to Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground on a designated date and time. They hook up the camper. The camper is equipped with most everything you need – dishware, utensils, etc. All we need to bring is our food and our clothes!

What’s Included

All of the RV rentals from Florida Camper Rental have air conditioning/heat and come with everything you will need for your camping trip. FREE DELIVERY and SET UP no matter how long your stay. Also included in the rental is outdoor fans, outdoor TVs, 4 comfortable camping chairs, pillows, linens, towels, facecloths, roll of paper towels, 4 rolls of RV toilet paper, an extra outdoor table, eating and grilling utensils, basic pots and pans, coffee pot, salt and pepper, trash bags, first aid kit and more. When the camper is delivered and set-up, Florida Camper Rental will give us a quick “how to” on the camper.

Getting the Right Camp Site

Once I found the camper – we needed a campsite. Florida Camper Rental told me exactly what type of site is needed to fit the camper we will be using. Since they deliver regularly to Disney’s Fort Wilderness, they even suggested specific loops on Fort Wilderness property that would be ideal. Because of the size we need a premium campsite and because they offered specific loop information I was able to look at a map of the Fort before calling Disney to make a reservation.

When I called for the reservation I was prepared with everything I needed to reserve a site – the size of the camper, the type of site needed (premium) and asked for specific loop/site locations. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is huge and I wanted something closer to amenities since none of the group are really campers (even if we are in a camper – it’s still camping!). The camper we will be using has 2 bathrooms but I feel we may need more and want to be as close as possible to comfort stations that offer toilets and showers.

Camper Rental Cost

Prices for camper rental vary depending on size of the units. The unit we will be using (one of the larger units) costs around $1098 in rental fees for a Monday through Friday (4 nights) in October. When renting from Florida Camper Rental, you will need to place a $200 security/reservation deposit. This deposit is 100% refundable if you cancel before 90 days; 50% refundable if you cancel within 89 days; and, 0% refundable if you cancel within 30 days of your reservation. The $200 security/reservation deposit is not applied to your total bill. This amount guarantees your reservation date and acts as a security deposit against damage to the camper. This $200 is 100% refundable and will be received back within 14 days of your last rental date as long as there is no damage to the RV. Your full and final payment for the rental is due 7 days prior to the start of your reservation.

Campsite Rental Cost

Campsite rental at Disney’s Fort Wilderness also varies in price. Since we needed a premium site, our cost, with tax, is $432 ($96 per night plus tax). As with all Walt Disney World Resort reservations, one night cost is required as a deposit with the balance due on check-in since it’s treated the same as a room-only reservation.

Total Cost – $1,550

Overall, if you have a large family that requires 2 or more rooms at a Disney resort, this isn’t a bad (and more reasonably priced) way to stay on Disney property. You will be in the heart of Walt Disney World and in the middle of all that Disney’s Fort Wilderness offers for around the same cost of 2 rooms at one of the value resorts. Two rooms at a value resort will only allow up to 8 individuals so this also gives you the option of extra people.

And . . . it’s an adventure!

Food

So, we need to bring our own food – Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy! We will, of course, be eating large meals out in the parks or at Disney Springs. I am fortunate enough to be able to drive in when visiting Walt Disney World so will bring along many of the items that we will need while in the camper – soft drinks, coffee, water, a little bit of wine/beer, fruit, breakfast items, snack items, etc. The same items that someone who owns a camper would bring and have available. Anything like milk, butter, or things that are perishable, I will purchase when I arrive. However, for those of you that want to glamp and fly into the area, there are several food delivery services. My favorite is Garden Grocer. Garden Grocer offers a dependable and friendly service, has decent prices and offers a wide selection of over 5,000 of your favorite products. They have been delivering to Walt Disney World resorts for years. You can do all of your ordering and payment on-line.

Don’t forget one of the most important part of camping at “The Fort!” You can bring you dog with you! This is a big plus for all of us dog lovers!

Don’t forget that Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground also offers cabins that sleep up to 6 adults. To me, that’s still glamping/camping – it’s a cabin! in the woods!

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